Extract from the "72 Hong Merchants". Newspaper" dated 30 Sept.1913
(Translation).
"PLOYEES SEIZE OPPORTUNITY TO RISE,
651
The lower grade employees of the departments of the companies that are ruining the country, -the
high grade officials of the accountant's departiment
are not included, - are filled with indignation at the
harsh treatment that has long been meted out to then
in full, and have asked for leave in large numbers to
go out. They assembled at the "T'ien T'ien" tea-shop
to discuss the formation of a labour-party to claim
a reduction in the hours of labour and a rise in
anual wages. "A working-day such as ours", they assert
"from 9 a.m. till 10 p.m., a total of thirteen hours,
"absolutely does not exist in any other country. Even
"in the case of the emigrants to the Southern Seas,
"who were sold like so many pigs, a day's labour was
"fixed by their government at only 8 hours. The
"treatment we now receive from our employers is not
"equal to that received by the 'pigs'. If we do not
"take this opportunity, and unite in forming a labour-
*party to present our claims jointly, it will be too
"late..."
They proceeded to elect Ch'en P'in-ju and
17 others.to undertake to make speeches and to coin-
bine in unison the lower grade employees of the three
companies, in order to strengthen their position. If
the elected representatives should be expelled or
dis.nissed by the companies, then the whole body would
resign, as a measure of protection.
X
The reference is to the three large department- stores of Canton, the "Sincere", the "Sun" and the "Chen Kwang" companies, -against which the students are conducting a vigorous campaign on account of their alleged dealing in Japanese goods.